Colonial Place / Riverview

National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register

Riverview: September 24, 1999
Colonial Place: June 13, 2001

Riverview was officially designated a National Historic District on September 24, 1999 and entered into the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Under the direction of Pat Spriggs and Nicole Hawkins, volunteers photographed and completed survey forms for every structure in the neigborhood. Those photographs (negatives and the black/white prints), along with the written documentation, will be preserved as a record of the existence of the neighborhood. Jeff Stark and his team of twenty-six volunteers completed the same process for Colonial Place. Their six-year effort to document over 1100 structures in the neighborhood was rewarded on June 13, 2001 when Colonial Place officially received its designation.

The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed on the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

As part of the nomination process all residents of Colonial Place and Riverview received notification letters and a fact sheet concerning the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register, which included information regarding the designation and rights of owners to comment and/or object. This document clearly stated that listing in either register would not "restrict or prevent an owner from altering, tearing down, or otherwise disposing of the property."

State rehabilitation tax credits are available for eligible owners from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Information on state programs can be obtained from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Virginia's historic preservation office, whose "mission is to foster, encourage, and support the stewardship of Virginia's significant historic, architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources." Federal tax credit information is from the National Park Service.

Signs identifying Colonial Place and Riverview as Historic Districts in the National Register of Historic Places were placed in the neighborhoods in the fall of 2002. Locations are: Riverview--intersection of 42nd Street and Columbus Avenue; Colonial Place--Virginia Avenue/42nd Street near Mayflower Road and the East Park Circle at Delaware Avenue and Colonial Avenue. The Civic League partnered with the city to provide landscaping around the signs. Several volunteers from the League helped dig in the plants on September 14, 2002.

An electronic copy of the documentation for the Colonial Place nomination given to the Civic League enabled the production of this Web page. Please note:

The Colonial Place/Riverview Web site moved from dcf.net/cprv to cprv.org since these documents were produced. All information cited should still be on the Web site; use the site index.

Errors or omissions in these documents are part of the record and will be retained on the Web site.

Registration Form

Four-page registration form outlining documentation requirements.

Summary Description of Colonial Place

Brief history of the development of Colonial Place from 1900 to 1941, including detailed examples (with addresses) of homes typical of the various periods of development.

Inventory of Properties in Colonial Place

Two to three line description of every property in Colonial Place including year built, architectural style, and architectural detail. Arranged alphabetically by street name and then by street number. Check out your house!

Statement of Significance

History and development of Colonial Place as part of the history and development of the City of Norfolk--from the establishment of Norfolk in 1682 to the present time. Includes the names of many early residents and describes the location of their homes and their roles in the community.

Bibliography

List of the resources used to compile the history of Colonial Place and document its historical significance. Includes many articles from local newspapers and map sources.

Geographic Data

Technical and verbal description of the physical boundaries of Colonial Place, including a black and white outline map of the area.

Photographs

List of the photographs of homes selected to provide a visual record of the Colonial Place Historic District. Includes a map showing the location of the structures photographed.